EP Review: Motion – S/T

When it comes to the Scottish music scene, there are certain genres that seem to get more love than others. Glitzy indie rock? You’ll be struggling not to find one. Blackgaze, post-metal? Not so much. One that seems to be floating somewhat in the middle is shoegaze, something you might have expected to be more prevalent than any considering one of Scotland’s biggest bands, both commercially and critically, are The Jesus and Mary Chain.

You could probably count the number of up and coming bands in this genre on one hand, Edinburgh based three piece band Motion resting on your index finger. While the act go by the indie title, shoegaze is a vital element on all four songs of their self titled EP – right off the bat, Myths kicks things off with Paul Band’s vocals warped in the traditional style along with some gradually paced guitars. The influences may be apparent but it’s a solid start to an EP that tries and, for the most part, succeeds in being varied and entertaining.

A point made about the band’s prior single I Can Hear You Coming was that despite it being a solid track, it didn’t do very much to help the band stand out against their contemporaries, regardless of how few there are. Queue Into The Lense, the EP’s second track that washes its vocals of their wishy washy tinge to allow Band to sing about what can be described as a shot at the vain pop culture we experience.

Lines about giving all you got to keep them, presumably higher ups and the media, smiling and glasses full of tears give a real image of the sheer emotional stress that keeping up appearances, regardless if you’re a celebrity or not, can cause. It’s a class example of how Motion are using this rich tapestry of sounds as a platform for something more interesting as opposed to making it the sole attraction, allowing some analytical and descriptive lines akin to the likes of Morrissey.

Closing track Everything helps the EP to leave a sweet taste in your mouth. Succeeding Who, not a weak song by any means but one that keeps a loose grip on you throughout, Everything is arguably the best written track Motion have came out with thus far, moving along at a solid pace but doing enough instrumentally that you never feel your attention floating anywhere that the band don’t want it do.

There’s a near minute long clash of drums and guitars as the conclusion draws near, the band exerting all remaining energy. Motion may have started off with a light fizzle but much like the finale of their debut EP, the band show they’re more than capable of going out with a bang.